Ear to the Ground 210: Ignoring a Financial Problem Never Works

An LSP panel of professionals provides farmers advice on dealing with financial stress.

Resources Cited in this Podcast

• Minnesota Farm Advocates: Farm Advocates, which are located throughout the state, provide one-on-one assistance for Minnesota farmers who face crisis caused by either natural disaster or financial problems. To find an advocate near you, click here. The advocate hotline is 1-800-967-2474.

• Farmers’ Legal Action Group (FLAG): FLAG is a nonprofit law center dedicated to providing legal services and support to family farmers and their communities in order to help keep family farmers on the land. FLAG provides basic advice as well as numerous printed and online resources. More information is available here or by calling 651-223-5400.

• Minnesota Farm Business Management Program: This program, which is offered through the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, offers individualized farm management assistance and access to educational opportunities throughout the year. Farm Business Management instructors work with farmers to improve record keeping and provide in-depth financial and profitability analysis of agricultural operations. For a list of instructors throughout the state and other details, click here.

• The Minnesota Farmer-Lender Mediation Program: Contact the program via the web or at 218-935-5785.

• Minnesota Farm & Rural Helpline: Free, confidential, 24/7. This call center is located in Minnesota. Calls are answered by trained staff and volunteers. If you or someone you know is struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, or suicidal thoughts—call. Sometimes it’s easier to talk to somebody you don’t know. The telephone number is 1-833-600-2670 (extension no. 1).

• University of Minnesota “Dealing with Stress” website: This website contains fact sheets and tips on dealing with stress, as well as links to other resources. Click here for details.

• Land Stewardship Project’s Farm Beginnings Program: LSP’s Farm Beginnings, Farm Dreams and Journeyperson courses provide various levels of training in the areas of business planning, goal setting and marketing, among others. For details, check the website or call 507-523-3366.

Upcoming Events

March 2023

Monday March 27

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: MinnesotaCare Public Option: Virtual Information Session
Monday March 27
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
MinnesotaCare Public Option: Virtual Information Session
Every Minnesotan deserves quality, affordable healthcare. But right now, too many Minnesotans have no choice but to purchase health insurance that is too expensive to use, are excluded from health coverage because of their immigration status, or are unable to leave their job or start a business because of the high cost of health insurance.

The MinnesotaCare Public Option (HF96/SF49) proposed this legislative session would allow more Minnesotans the option of buying into MinnesotaCare, paying a premium based on their income.

Join Minnesotans across the state for a virtual information session to learn more about the MinnesotaCare Public Option being considered at the state Capitol, and what YOU can do to help pass it this year.

The virtual webinar will be held on Zoom. Registration is required here.

The co-hosts of this meeting are: TakeAction Minnesota, Rural Organizing Project, the Land Stewardship Project, and more. For more information, click here.

Wednesday March 29

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm: Farm to School Webinar for Farmers, Food Hubs & Distributors
Wednesday March 29
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Farm to School Webinar for Farmers, Food Hubs & Distributors
During this MDA-IATP webinar, learn more about Farm to School in Minnesota as well as goals and requirements of this year’s Farm to School Grant Program. There will be helpful information on how to successfully connect with and sell to schools.

Register here.
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Community Foods Webs Learning Circle: Changing How We Think About Food System Economics
Wednesday March 29
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Community Foods Webs Learning Circle: Changing How We Think About Food System Economics

Building strong community food networks where we live can move us powerfully toward our vision for functioning local and regional systems that support regenerative farming and provide all people with the nourishing foods they want and need. To explore how communities around the country are making this happen, in March LSP is hosting three learning circles focused on the book Building Community Food Webs, by Ken Meter.

Join us for just one session, or all three! Each session we’ll gather on Zoom for two hours — beginning at 7 p.m. — to discuss major themes from the book and generate ideas for our own communities.

Reserve your spot by signing up on our website:https://landstewardshipproject.org/learning-circles. Questions about getting signed up? Reach out to LSP’s Elizabeth Makarewicz at EMakarewicz@landstewardshipproject.org.

April 2023

Tuesday April 4

9:00 am – 12:30 pm: Wholesale Readiness Training for Farmers
Tuesday April 4
9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Wholesale Readiness Training for Farmers

MISA, UMN Extension and Renewing the Countryside are offering training and one-to-one technical assistance for farmers who want to grow their operation into wholesale markets. Wholesale isn’t just for large-scale distributors. You can use this training and support team to prepare to sell to schools, restaurants, grocery stores and hospitals in your community. Participating farmers will be eligible for $500 mini-grants to cover expenses related to launching a wholesale enterprise.

For details, click here.

Thursday April 6

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm: Family Farm Breakfast Lobby Training
Thursday April 6
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Family Farm Breakfast Lobby Training
Join LSP to prepare for the 2023 Family Farm Breakfast Lobby Day on April 13! The training will be an opportunity to prepare how we will influence our elected officials to win real change on key LSP issues like soil health and climate solutions, healthcare reform, taking on corporate consolidation in agriculture, and more. This training will include: background on your legislators; templates for a legislative meeting; workshopping how to share our stories in a powerful, concise way; logistics; and more!

For more information and to register, click here.

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